Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Daphne Sheldrick developed the milk formula and hand-rearing methods that made it possible to raise orphaned elephant calves, and the trust she founded has been rescuing and rearing them since 1977, moving them as they grow to reintegration units in Tsavo where they gradually rejoin wild herds; a number of those animals have since had calves of their own in the wild. The Nairobi nursery holds the youngest orphans and opens to the public for one hour in the middle of the day, when the calves come in for milk and mud and the keepers explain each animal's story, most of which begin with a poached mother or a well the calf fell into. Fostering an orphan gives access to a smaller evening visit. Rhino orphans are sometimes also present. Visits must be booked ahead and numbers are capped.

History

For over 25 years Daphne Sheldrick worked beside her husband, David, founding warden of Tsavo East National Park, raising many orphaned wild animals, and she was the first to perfect the milk formula for infant elephants. After David's death in 1977 she moved to Nairobi National Park, and in 1987 the David Sheldrick Memorial Appeal became the independent David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (Wikipedia, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust).

What to look for

• The milk feeding - the youngest orphans coming in during the public hour.
• Keepers' accounts - each calf's rescue story told individually.
• Mud bathing - the calves rolling and playing after feeding.
• Rhino orphans - occasionally present alongside the elephants.

When to go

Year-round; the public visit is one hour daily, currently in the late morning, and must be booked ahead as places fill days in advance. Fosterers can attend a quieter evening visit. The rains make the viewing area muddy.

Things to know

The public hour is crowded and roped, and photography is over other people's heads. It is short, and the stories are hard listening. Booking is genuinely required; people are turned away at the gate. The visit is a donation-funded conservation programme, not a petting zoo, and touching is limited.

Nearby

The Giraffe Centre and Karen Blixen Museum are a short drive away.

Key facts